Confessions of a Roman Catholic

I have been going to confession since the day before my first communion. My first penance was terrifying. A few of my classmates and I were sitting on the stairs next to the confessional waiting for our catholic school priest Father Brown to call us in. Waiting my turn time seem to last forever. However, when I was called in time moved fast. When I waked into the confessional I made the sign of the cross. After sitting I don’t remember much about what happened. But I remember Father going down the Ten Commandments asking me if I honored my parents, treated my brother and sister with respect, and etc. After I confessed I remember being able rattle off the act of contrition. The priest also talked about my grandpa and my father because he knew them for many years. For many of confessions after I went to the same pastor because I knew him and knew what to expect. When my home parish would hold penance services I would wait in line just to see him. My brother, sisters and my father would have to wait a while for me to finish. The years I attended middle school my first confession pastor Father brown went in a nursing home and he was unable to attend our penance services. So, when the penance services came I went to our current pastor because I was familiar with him. His long was line but I did the best I could to wait. At this time I was getting older and my mentality of confession was that I just wanted to get it over with. So confession was with whichever priest was free. Their were two priests that were their for most penance services so I went to one that didn’t hear very well, and one that asked you, “How often do you eat, and how often do you pray. As I grew up, attended middle school and High School I never really saw the point of confession. I really didn’t think that I did any that bad that I needed to tell a priest. After graduating from high school I didn’t participate in confession until my second year of college. I really didn’t think I needed it when I first entered college. But not being able to practice the faith my going to mass every Sunday I fell into some improper behavior. One night I remember a bunch of us were playing Truth or Dare and throughout the game I participated in some improper behavior. Because I knew what I did was wrong I needed to revisit the sacrament of reconciliation. So probably the next day or a few weeks later I was able to participate in mass, and the confession. The night before I remember going over what I needed to do and gain courage to ask a priest on my own if he could hear my confession. I remember the priest saying he would be able to hear my confession after mass. So, throughout mass my stomach was in knots. After the mass the pastor of the church and I entered the confessional and he turned on the confessional switch. I waited patiently for him to undress from mass. He came back and we began. I said Bless Me father for I have sinned its been three years since my last confession. He then said “Welcome BACK”. The Sunday that I confessed was three days before Ash Wednesday so it was close enough to Easter to make me happy. After confessing I was relieved and happy I revisited the sacrament of reconciliation. When I graduated from GCC I was happy I would be able to attend weekly mass. Because of circumstances at the end of the semester I needed to revisit the sacrament of reconciliation. For a few weeks I tried to figure out when I could visit the sacrament. Fortunately my pastors anniversary was coming up and we were holding a reception after mass, so I figured asking him during the reception would be an ok time. After mass all the parishioners went down to the basement and began to celebrate. When I ran into my pastor I asked if he could hear my confession. We went up to our sanctuary and we both sat down. I was nervous but it felt good to get some things off my chest. My next endeavor with the confession was on the Assumption.